Chinese shipments await Customs clearance amid border standoff with India

Amid heightened tensions along the Line of Actual Control with China, stalled customs clearance of cargo from Beijing has sent importers and manufacturers into a tizzy. Though officials said the move was based on specific intelligence related to narcotics smuggling and illegal imports of undervalued items, industry saw it as a trade retaliatory measure. 

Getting shipments from China may only get tougher going forward, industry fears. 

On Monday night, customs officials in Chennai and Visakhapatnam were asked to put all shipments from China on hold until further orders.

“The Customs has been informally asked to stall clearance of all consignments from China, be